I really hope that this will be sold at TFCon. I'm travelling the first time from Europe to the USA to a convention like this and it would be cool if I could get such an exclusive figure.

 

MTMTE Hauler was an early-bird cameo of the toy that became Grapple. Hauler as a character was later retconned into an extra Constructicon and became green as a result.

 

This is one of those weird ones... Since TT is doing Grapple, chances are, they'll repaint him as an exclusive Hauler at some point, just as Artfire is expected from Inferno. Official MP will ALWAYS trump 3P for me... but will TT do Hauler? There's not a whole lot else that can be done with Grapple.. What if they is and match parts between Grapple and Inferno to get Hauler and Artfire? Hrm... Yeah, like the black Ironhide, I'll just wait and hope for an official one. It does look great though.

 

I think TT will do Roadhauler, no worries there.

I'm happy to have options. I chose OC Backdraft because I feel as though it's more faithful to Hasui's vision. A mix of toon, toy and others. Backdraft looks like the cartoon and toy had a babby together. TT Inferno is just pure toon.

 

Pretty nice, but I\'m waiting for the official MP Grapple before I commit to any 3P versions of the mold.

 

Despite loving the lime green deco, the linked Wiki information pretty much sums this up as an arbitrary attempt to create a new/extra character- all because the original G1 Grapple toy was supposed to be released in year one as "Hauler" and had already appeared in the "More Than Meets the Eye" episode(s) animation. Kinda lame IMHO.

 

Hauler got some backstory and fiction in the TFCC magazine issue 41-42.

He was part of the force that defended Iacon from a Decepticon attack in issue 41. You can see him standing between Ironfist and Trailbreaker.

"Hey lads, perhaps we should try standing BEHIND cover when the Decepticons shoot at us?... No? No one agrees? No wonder the Autobots are loosing this war."

He helped stock up the Ark before he joined the crew in leaving Cybertron in issue 42.

"I guess we have to bring that drone, it will make one appearance ever then be forgotten, I'd hate to be in it's shoes!"

He also got a full bio for his Cybertronian form in issue 42.

 

He looks great, im at least somewhayt consoled that Takara will release him and Artfire now they have the Inferno/Grapple mould.

PS this is my first forum post!

 

If I was in Chicago, I'd get him. Not going to pay aftermarket prices on him especially since official MP Grapple exists & who else can Takara repaint him into besides Hauler.

 

Yeah, but with 4 potential MP Hauler's being made (Takara, X-Transbots, Maketoys and MMC) hopefully the aftermarket price won't be too high. I'd expect him to be more expensive at first just because this is the first Hauler to market, but eventually it will drop as others get released.

 

Getting XTB for Hauler, which means I'll have 4 different molds.

 

Waiting for the Takara version... same as the inevitable Artfire and the somewhat likely G2 Inferno.

 

Looks awesome. This figure is pretty awesome

 

nice figure to bad he transform into his third mode devastator head

 

Does anyone know if he just comes with the cartoon Inferno head? I honestly think he'd look better with the alternative toy head.

 

How much is he?

 

That's not a cartoon Inferno head. It's a black Grapple head.

 

I wonder how he worked with Devastator or if Devastator formed after he left. I sooo hope I can get this guy, but if I miss out then TT will do him for sure. I would love for MakeToys to do them all also, but that probably won't happen

 

It says right in the bio that he was away when Megatron took the other Constructicons, and used the Robosmasher on them and turned them evil and into Devastator. Hauler was NEVER part of Devastator.

There was a Transformers: Mosaic story once where the other Constructicons were hunting him down with the intent of making Hauler join with Devastator, but that's just a fun fan story.

 

Is that their version of Hauler? which was once was the 7th Constructicon who joined the Autobots.
And was in the very first episode of G1 series. (He hauled up Hound after lazerbeak shot at him and he tumbled down the cliff)